A community-Based study of Injury in Bahir-Dar zuria woreda, west-Gojjam Administrative Zone
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Date
1994-05
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
A cross-sectional, community-based study of injury
was conducted in Bahir-Dar Zuria Woreda between October
and December 1993. A study population of 13,286 was
surveyed in five randomly selected kebeles, three of
which were rural and two urban. A four-week recall
period was used to estimate an incidence of injury of 550
per 1000 per year.
The most common injuries were due to cutting and
piercing objects or other mechanical injury (61.2%),
animal injury (11.2%) and falls (10%). The home and its
immediate environment were the main sites of occurrence
of injury (52.7%), followed by roads or paths (21%) and
farms (16.4%). Lower and upper extremities were the body
parts affected in 48% and 29% of cases respectively.
Over 81% of injuries in adults were occupational.
Age and sex were found to be risk factors for
injury, with males at higher risk of injuries than
females (ratio of 1.8: 1) . Injury incidence increased
significantly with increasing age. Children under five
were at greater risk of falls and burn injuries. Urban
residents, farmers, those who reported alcohol
intoxication in the last month, and those owning no
animals were also at significantly increased risk of
injury.
v
Treatment was obtained for 33% of injuries, of which
38% were treated at home, 26% treated in out-patient
heal th facilities, and five percent admitted to hospital.
The average expenditure for medical care, including
transport, of injured persons was 16 birr ($US 2.58).
Over 35% of injuries resulted in one or more days of
restricted activity, with an average duration of
disability of 10 days. Based on the discounted healthy
years of life (DHLYs) lost due to injury mortality and
disability in the study population, it is estimated that
annual national losses for treatment and lost
productivity are in excess of EtB one billion (US$17l
million) . The ratio of indirect to direct costs of
injury was 11:1.
Ini tial strategies for prevention and control of
this neglected public health problem are recommended
based on the study findings. A comprehensive national
injury control program will require multi sectoral
approaches and intervention from the national to the
community level.
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A community-Based study of Injury